Telephone companies are required to provide customers with what the industry calls "access". Put quite simply, "access" is a type of protected method of terminating the telephone company's line or lines on or at a customer's premises. The method or methods utilized to interconnect these lines within the confines of the customer's premises can create a jungle of interconnect wiring.
Since the introduction of data terminals, and specifically personal computers; the need for additional cable pairs has resulted in the universal acceptance of four pair cable. This use of four pair cable satisfies conductor requirements for both the telecommunication electronic systems and the data terminal systems.
Due to the aforementioned interconnect proliferation of four pair cable, there has also arisen a need to be able to accurately test the conductor terminations of said cables. Especially critical are the conductors which carry the data-stream.
Presently, interconnect personnel test the various conductor paths (throughout the systems) by simple continuity tests which may be performed by using the analog or digital multimeter. These methods, however, are inadequate at best. Conventional continuity tests are performed on individual conductors on a "one at a time" basis. In other words, the test person uses a multimeter or a single-pair tone set equipped with a visual indicator. One end of a conductor-pair is shorted by one person and a second person waits for an indication of continuity--either a visual or audible tone.
The result of this type of methodology wastes enormous amounts of time for craftspersons assigned to these jobs. Furthermore, single application continuity tests do not lend themselves to any particular established routines. Additionally, available types of devices and techniques usually require two craftspersons and two meters which render the tasks even more arduous.
Various test set vendors offer different types of continuity devices which check individual conductor paths. However, there is a conspicuous absence of test devices which test the common four-pair cable as an operating entity. Some test equipment will measure digital or analog conditions of the conductors, but once again, they do not verify the simple connecting integrity of the various interconnected systems.